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European Commission published the progress report of the EU Forest Strategy

In December 2018, the European Commission released its report on the progress in the implementation of the EU Forest Strategy. This progress report was planned by the Strategy published in 2013. It provides insights on progress in the implementation of each of the eight priority areas identified by the Strategy. Overall, the report indicates that the Strategy has supported and guided a large number of activities by the Commission, Member States and stakeholders and that the majority of actions have been implemented as envisaged.

13.12.2018

The report gives perspectives regarding the continued implementation of the Strategy and states that the Strategy and its priorities are fit for stressing the importance of forests and related EU-policies for the implementation of the 2030 agenda. However, CEPF highlights the importance of updating the Strategy to better correspond the climate change mitigation goals in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Despite the absence of the common EU forest policy, forests and forest-related issues are gaining a more prominent role in the EU policy-making as the sector provides clear solutions to the global challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the role of sustainable forest management as a holistic concept as stated in the Strategy. This can be done by building up the EU Forest Strategy and its implementation towards 2050 by establishing stronger links between forests and forest-based sector and other relevant policies. In addition, it is essential to better coordinate EU input to pan-European and international forest agendas.

Consequently, in October 2018, CEPF, together with ten other forest and forest-related organisations, called for an update of the EU Forest Strategy. The joint statement can be found here.